The company’s CEO says that the sector’s advancement depends on productivity in the field and solutions such as the immunocastration vaccine developed in Brazil
Animal health gained strategic weight in Brazil by connecting two expanding fronts: protein production and the pet market. For Kleber Cesar Silveira Gomes, CEO of Ourofino Saúde Animal, the sector is undergoing a transformation driven by productivity, sustainability, technology and changes in consumer behavior.
The company operates in both farm animals and pets and closely monitors the effects of these changes in the field, in veterinary clinics and in the industry. According to the executive, the sector is no longer seen as just a stage of care and is now having a direct impact on economic efficiency, food security and the quality of life of families.
“The animal health sector is vital to society,” says Gomes. He says that the activity is linked to two central chains: the production of food, especially meat, eggs and milk, and the care of pets, which have come to play an increasingly important role within homes.
In agriculture, advancement depends on three pillars: genetics, nutrition and health. The CEO’s assessment is that Brazil already has a high level of productivity in poultry and pigs, but still has important space to evolve in cattle farming. In this scenario, animal health is seen as a tool to produce more, in less time and with less use of resources.
For Gomes, Brazil has a privileged position in this market. The country brings together scale, climate, soil, water and labor to continue growing in protein production, while other markets are already approaching their production limits. The opportunity, according to him, lies in expanding the adoption of technology, information and preventive management.
The executive states that many producers take care of nutrition, supplementation and pasture, but underestimate the effects of parasites, ticks, flies and worms on the herd’s performance. The problem does not necessarily affect the quality of the meat, but it reduces the animal’s productivity and impacts the rancher’s profitability.
“The main bottleneck is still information,” he says. To face this challenge, Ourofino maintains teams of veterinarians who visit farms, provide technical guidance and support producers in adopting prevention and management protocols. The company also does similar work with veterinarians who care for companion animals.
In the pet market, change comes from the humanization of animals. Dogs and cats live longer, are treated as family members and require preventative care, quality medicines and professional monitoring. Despite the progress, Gomes assesses that Brazil is still below more mature markets when it comes to prevention.
Technology also began to occupy a larger space within the company. At Ourofino, artificial intelligence is already used in internal processes, automation, administrative productivity and research and development. The company adopts chemical prediction and bioinformatics tools to evaluate formulations, component compatibility, stability and shelf life of products before longer tests.
The expectation is that AI will also advance in its relationship with the market. Gomes sees potential for the use of virtual technical consultants and digital solutions capable of expanding producers’ and veterinarians’ access to qualified information. In livestock farming, however, adoption still depends on greater connectivity on farms and broader infrastructure.
“Innovation also appears in product development. In the last two years, Ourofino has launched around 14 solutions in different lines, including vaccines for pig farming, antiparasitics for cattle and products aimed at companion animals. One of the highlights is Leanvac, a swine immunocastration vaccine developed 100% in Brazil. According to Gomes, the technology replaces surgical castration, reduces mechanical interventions on animals and reinforces the animal welfare agenda within production.”
With almost 40 years of history, Ourofino has a factory in Cravinhos, in the interior of São Paulo, in an area of 180 thousand square meters. The complex brings together five pharmaceutical and biological plants and supplies Brazil and other countries in Latin America.
In the coming years, the company intends to expand its presence in the Brazilian cattle market and advance in other Latin American countries, such as Argentina and Uruguay. The company already has its own operations in Mexico and Colombia.
Gomes says the goal is to maintain the brand among the main animal health companies in the country and strengthen proximity to customers. “We want to be a company that is increasingly remembered, close and capable of taking care of business, animals and people in a different way”, he concludes.
